Free Brave Company by David Hill Page B

the water where
Taupo
lay. They pointed, turned to gaze at the stern, then strode back to the bridge, labouring up the slant of the deck.
    The Blue Watch gun crew jumped as the klaxon blared from the funnel above them: once – twice – three times. A deeper bellow came from the destroyer behind them. The bigger ship was beginning to move, bow swinging out towards the middle of the channel, white water building under it. The other frigate was at least 400 yards away now, heading steadily for the sea.
    Russell swallowed, took a deep breath, tried to stay calm. ‘Stay here,’ PO Lucas told them, then headed for the bridge, staggering slightly on the angled deck.
    ‘So what are we going to do now, guys? Have a snooze while everyone makes their minds up?’ Noel was trying to sound cheerful, but Russell could hear the tautness in his voice. It made him feel a fraction better; he wasn’t the only nervous one.
    Kingi stood watching the muddy water as it crawled past. ‘Tide’s coming in now. That should help – unless it pushes us further onto the sandbank.’
    Right then, the frigate moved. It lurched sideways. Its stern swung. The keel dragged, then stuck.
Taupo
shivered, then was still once more. The starboard side seemed even higher.
    Another klaxon burst. The destroyer was edging past, twenty yards or so away. Sailors on its deck stared at the trapped frigate.
    ‘Don’t you lot get stuck,’ Kingi muttered. ‘One at a time is enough, thanks.’
    Taupo
rose a fraction in the water as the wake from the larger vessel reached them. For half a second, she seemed to float free, then she settled again.
    Come on! Russell hardly knew whom he was pleading with, but the words beat inside his head. Come on! We have to get off here. We
have
to!
    A half-yell broke from his throat as a crashing and clanging echoed nearby.
Taupo
’s anchors roared down into the river. Why? They wanted to get away from here, not stay! What was the captain doing?
    ‘It’s okay, Russ.’ Kingi was watching him. ‘We’re holding steady till the tide lifts us. Don’t want to slide any further onto the sand.’
    The land was silent. The smoke from their recent bombardment had gone. Were enemy eyes watching them?’ Were guns being pointing at the trapped vessel? Forty … fifty yards ahead, the destroyer had stopped once more. From its bridge, a light flashed and flickered at the frigate. A signal lamp. ‘Hope they’re sending us an apology,’ grunted O’Brien, who hadarrived beside them. Others were emerging from below as well, holding on as they crossed the sloping deck to peer over the sides.
    Kingi nodded towards the destroyer. ‘Reckon they can pull us off?’
    O’Brien shrugged. ‘Tricky. They’ll have to get really close to fix a cable. Could end up getting caught themselves.’
    PO Lucas came hurrying back towards them, grabbing at ventilators and rails to keep himself steady, a whistle in one hand. ‘Port side! Everyone line up on the port side. When you hear the whistle, across to the starboard, quickly! We’ll try and rock her free!’
    Russell, Kingi and Noel gaped at one another. ‘Just as well I had those sausages,’ said Kingi. He shook his head. ‘Dunno why we bother having boy seamen – they’re too small to do any good.’ Russell tried to smile.
    Inside thirty seconds, the rails on the port side were crammed with men, tense-faced and ready. Except for those on the bridge, or down in the engine room, the whole crew seemed to be there. PO Lucas stood, braced on the tilting deck, one hand in the air, the other holding his whistle. ‘Go hard, lads.’
    Fweeep!
Feet thundered across the deck to the star-board side, pounding up the slope. The ship trembled. Russell was sure she dipped sideways for a second.
    ‘Back again! Hard!’
Fweeep!
They charged backdown to the port side.
Fweeep!
Up to the starboard rail again.
Taupo
shook and shuddered. Surely this must rock her free. Surely.
    ‘Weirdest – weirdest PT I’ve